What percent of entry-level jobs in Seattle pay a living wage?

A new wave of employees is entering the workforce following high school and college graduations, but nearly 40% of entry-level jobs in the Seattle area don't pay a living wage.

That's according to a new analysis by online lender NetCredit of data from the MIT Living Wage Calculator and job postings from Indeed.com.

The analysis looked at the cost of living for one adult — without children — in the 100 largest metro areas to determine the percentage of entry-level jobs that paid a living wage.

In the Seattle area, it takes an hourly wage of at least $29.44 to cover the cost of basic needs, or roughly $61,200 a year. Just over 60% of local full-time, entry-level jobs listed on Indeed.com offer pay exceeding that amount, according to the analysis. Minimum wage in Washington state is $16.16 an hour, and in Seattle it's $20.76.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2025/06/19/entry-level-jobs-living-wage.html